Best Beaches in Los Angeles

Located in the city of Malibu, Leo Carrillo State Beach is a wide and one-and-a-half-mile long beach that is part of the Leo Carrillo State Park. Leo Carrillo State Park is named after Leo Carrillo, an actor and preservationist, who served on the California Beach and Parks Commission for 18 years - and is 2,513 acres in size. Many prominent actors including Elvis Presley, Jerry Lewis, Nancy Sinatra, and Dick Clark have been featured in films shot at this park. Leo Carrillo State Beach is sometimes referred to as one beach – but it is commonly viewed as three separate beaches each with its access point: Leo Carrillo - North Beach, Leo Carrillo - South Beach, and Leo Carrillo - Staircase Beach.  Sequit Point is a rocky area between Leo Carrillo - North Beach and Leo Carrillo - South Beach where you can see tide pools and sea caves during low tides.

Located in the Westside region of Los Angeles County, Will Rogers State Beach - sometimes also known as Will Rogers Beach - is a large and three miles long beach with light brown sand, a few rocky breakwaters, and a few rocks.  The approximate area of this beach is around 103 acres.  This beach is located in the neighborhood of Pacific Palisades - it is important to note that despite this beach’s name, Will Rogers State Beach is actually managed by the County of Los Angeles.  The southern portion of this beach is wide and sandy and the central portion of this beach has a series of short rocky breakwaters.  The northern portion of this beach is significantly narrow and this portion is also rockier than other parts of Will Rogers State Beach.  The northernmost portion of this beach is named Sunset Point Beach and it is also known as Sunset Beach.  In addition, there is also another portion of Will Rogers State Beach that is known as Ginger Rogers Beach - this beach is located near the southernmost portion of Will Rogers State Beach.  Ginger Rogers Beach is located just south of the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Entrada Drive - this beach is popular with the local LGBTQ+ community.  Will Rogers State Beach is named after famous Hollywood actor and cowboy Will Rogers - Will Rogers initially owned a portion of this beach area and he also owned an estate nearby.  After Rogers’ death in a plane crash in 1935, his wife Betty inherited his estate and properties.  Betty in turn donated Rogers’ coastal land to the State of California.  Will Rogers State Beach was dedicated to the public by the State of California in 1942.  In 1975, the County of Los Angeles took over the management of this beach from the State of California.  There is a rock on Will Rogers State Beach that has a bronze plaque commemorating Will Rogers.  Will Rogers State Beach should not be confused with another separate state park named Will Rogers State Historic Park- this state park is located near Will Rogers State Beach.  As an interesting fact, many movies and television shows have been shot on Will Rogers State Beach including the popular television show Baywatch, the 1954 movie Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the 1950Humphrey Bogartmovie In a Lonely Place.  A creek named Rustic Creek flows in the southern portion of Will Rogers State Beach - once this creek passes the beach, it flows into the Pacific Ocean.  Will Rogers State Beach has lifeguards - the lifeguards here are deployed from sunrise to sunset.  In addition to lifeguards, Will Rogers State Beach also has many other amenities including picnic tables, a children’s playground, concession stands, restrooms, a walking path, showers, volleyball courts, and a biking path.  Dogs are not allowed in Will Rogers State Beach.  Beach wheelchairs for visitors with disabilities are available at Will Rogers State Beach on a first-come-first-serve basis.  If you want a beach wheelchair, you can contact the lifeguards posted at Will Rogers State Beach for more information regarding the wheelchair booking process.

Located in the east of the city of Malibu, Carbon Beach - East Access is one of the three access points at Carbon Beach. Carbon Beach is a one-and-a-half-mile-long south-facing beach that is situated between the Malibu Pier on Surfrider Beach and Carbon Canyon Road. Carbon Beach has been nicknamed Billionaires’ Beach due to the many ultra-wealthy homeowners and 70+ incredibly expensive homes owned by celebrities and CEOs there – in 2019, one home sold for $110 million. Carbon Beach - East Access has smooth light brown sand that is great for beach walking, and swimming and paddle boarding are also popular here. Carbon Beach - East Access used to be known as the David Geffen Access – the entertainment mogul David Geffen fought for years to avoid putting a public access point here, and after a 25-year battle, he sold his property in 2007 when the State of California forced him to open one.

Considered Manhattan Beach’s more youthful and rowdy counterparty, Hermosa Beach is one of South Bay’s most popular beaches. At Hermosa, experience the quintessential small-town beach experience with a lively twist. Situated near the Los Angeles International Airport, Hermosa Beach offers LA beachgoers a much-needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Only 40 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Los Angeles, Hermosa Beach feels worlds away. Although it has less street parking than nearby Manhattan Beach, it’s still far more accessible than many LA beaches even during the summer. Beachgoers flock to Hermosa for its stunning beachfront, which is the spitting image of the perfect LA beach. With its clear and vibrant turquoise water, clean white sand, quaint walking and biking paths, and panoramic views from the bluffs of Palos Verdes to Malibu, Hermosa visitors hitch an umbrella and lounge in paradise.

Located in Orange County in Southern California, Bolsa Chica State Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the area because of its clear waters, expansive sands, and plentiful amenities. To get to this beach, you can drive along the Pacific Coast Highway, where there are multiple paid parking lots between Seapoint Street and Warner Avenue. This beach can get busy during the peak season, so be sure to arrive early to secure a parking spot. 

Located less than two miles east of Point Dume, Paradise Cove Beach is one of the most beloved seaside spots in Malibu. With its beautiful views, peaceful cove, and charming pier, the beach has been the setting for many famed Hollywood movies, most notably "Baywatch," "American Pie 2," "Gidget," "X-Men," and "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie." The beach also boasts its very own restaurant, lifeguards, beach chairs, restrooms, showers, and tide pools. 

Located in the southern shoreline of Palos Verdes Peninsula, Abalone Cove Beach is a narrow beach that is part of the Abalone Cove Shoreline Park. Abalone Cove is surrounded by steep and unstable bluffs, and the water around it features great underwater biodiversity. Abalone Cove Beach has both rocks and dark brown sand. 

Located in the city of Malibu, Lechuza is a rocky beach situated below houses and condos at the north end of Broad Beach Road. This beach is half-a-mile in length and there are several large rocks here, making it a hotspot for photographers. If you need to use restrooms, there is a Natural Grocery Store and Starbucks a three-minute drive away. You can swim and surf here, but be careful of the riptides and submerged rocks. There is a cluster of rocks a few yards from the beach that is a great place to look into tide pools, kelp forests, local seabirds, and crabs.

Located in the southwestern part of the Palos Verdes Peninsula shoreline, Sacred Cove Beach– which is also known as Smuggler’s Cove–is a part of the Abalone Cove Shoreline Park and has brown, pebbly sand. 

Located in the neighborhood of Playa Del Rey in Los Angeles, Dockweiler Stat Beach – also known as Dockweiler Beach – is a three-mile-long and wide west-facing beach with light brown sand.  The southern part of this beach is known as Dockweiler State Beach – South Beach.  Dockweiler State Beach was earlier known as Moonstone Beach and Venice-Hyperion Beach State Park.

This beach was listed as one of the cleanest beaches in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Times and it was also listed as one of the best beaches in Los Angeles by Time Out and Conde Nast Traveller magazines – it is also a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.   

The beach is open between 6 am and 10 pm.

Located in the city of Venice in Southern California, Venice Beach – also known as Venice City Beach - is an extremely popular three-mile long beach that has light brown sand and rocky breakwaters. This beach is very large – approximately 238 acres in size. The southern portion of Venice Beach is known as Venice Pier Beach- this portion received this name because it has a 1,300-feet long pier named the Venice Pier that is also known as Venice Fishing Pier. Venice Beach has been named the 3rd Best Beach in the Top 50 Beaches in the United States list in 2022 by Randall Kaplan, the world's foremost beach expert who is known as "Mr. Beach.” (Please note that Venice Beach in California should not be confused with another popular beach in the United States named Venice Public Beach, which is also known as Venice Beach) that is located in Sarasota County in Florida.) 

Venice Beach hosts many sporting events, and two of them – skateboarding and 3x3 basketball – will be held there during the 2028 Summer Olympics. Venice Beach has lifeguards from 8 am to sunset (that usually occurs around 6 pm) - during summers, lifeguards here are posted from 7 am till sunset (that occurs around 8:30 pm). In addition to lifeguards, Venice Beach and the area around it offer many other amenities including picnic areas, restrooms, showers, bike rental facilities, a bike path, grassy recreational areas, paddle tennis courts, basketball courts, skateboarding, volleyball courts, handball courts, walking paths, nearby watersports equipment rental facilities, and a kids’ play area. Dogs are not allowed on Venice Beach.  

Located below oceanfront bluffs in Malibu, Point Dume State Beach – also called Point Dume Beach, Big Dume Beach, and Dume Cove Beach – is a crescent-shaped, extremely popular state-managed beach with light brown sand.  Lonely Planet magazine listed it as one of the best beaches in Malibu, and Conde Nast Traveller magazine also listed it as one of the best beaches in Los Angeles.  It is also a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.  The beach is open between sunrise and sunset.

Located near downtown Half Moon Bay, Redondo Beach - also known as Wavecrest Beach - is situated in the central portion of Half Moon Bay waterfront. The beach is long and has light brown sand, and there is a rocky reef along its shoreline that is situated below steep and partially eroded bluffs. Redondo Beach does not have lifeguards or other amenities except some walking trails, so plan your trip accordingly. Redondo Beach allows dogs on leash. Getting to Redondo Beach is easy - it's located near the intersection of Redondo Beach Road and Thorne Avenue. There is a marked free parking lot on the blufftop area above the beach. There are many access routes down the beach from the blufftop, all of which are steep and hard to traverse. We recommend using a route present north of the parking lot which is safer and less steep, from where you can access Redondo Beach after going down the bluff-side. This beach, located near the Redondo Beach Pier, is a beloved spot for locals and visitors in the South Bay area, stretching along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway and connecting to neighboring Hermosa Beach and Riviera Village in Los Angeles County.

Located in the city of Malibu, Surfrider Beach - also known as Malibu Surfrider Beach - is a mile long and is considered the place to go for the ideal Southern California surfing experience. The beach is part of the Malibu Lagoon State Beach, which is spread over 110 acres and also includes the Malibu Lagoon and the Malibu Pier. Surfrider Beach is positioned on the western side of the Malibu Lagoon, where Malibu Creek drains into the Pacific Ocean. The beach has a spectacular background of many oceanfront buildings, including hotels, restaurants, and a museum, which together provide Instagram-worthy views of the Santa Monica Mountains and the vast Pacific Ocean, especially at sunset.

Located along the County of Los Angeles shoreline, Manhattan Beach – also known as Manhattan County Beach – is a two-mile-long and wide beach with light brown sand, a pier named the Manhattan Beach Pier, nearby shrubs and palm trees, and a nearby reef.  This beach is located within a city that is also called Manhattan Beach.   This beach is also part of a region within the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area that is called South Bay.  

This beach has been listed as one of the best beaches in California by many publications, including Reader’s Digest and Travel+Leisure magazine, and is a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.

El Matador Beach, located in Los Angeles County, is one of three beaches that make up the Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach (the other two are El Pescador Beach and La Piedra Beach). Nestled along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway, El Matador Beach, or “El Mat,” is known for its picturesque rock formations, golden sands, and is located below dramatic oceanfront bluffs that are lined with very expensive multimillion-dollar homes that, in some cases, exceed $30 million.

The beach has been named as the 11th best beach in “Top 50 Beaches of the United States” list in 2022 by Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as “Mr. Beach.” Managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation, El Matador Beach is also celebrated by Lonely Planet as one of the top beaches in the U.S., and it’s often recognized as one of Los Angeles’s best beaches. Visitors can enjoy the beach daily from 8 am until sunset.

Santa Monica Beach, located in the city of Santa Monica, is a highly popular 3.5-mile-long beach with light brown sand. This beach, also known as Santa Monica State Beach, is divided into three main sections: Santa Monica Beach - North Beach (which is also known as Santa Monica - North Beach and Santa Monica North Beach), Santa Monica Beach - Pier Beach (which is also called Santa Monica - Pier Beach and Santa Monica Pier Beach), and Santa Monica Beach - South Beach ( which is also called Santa Monica – South Beach, Santa Monica South Beach, and Ocean Park Beach). 

Santa Monica Beach—North Beach is quieter, offering a more peaceful experience, while Pier Beach is at the center and features the iconic Santa Monica Pier. Santa Monica Beach - South Beach, also referred to as Ocean Park Beach, is situated to the south of the pier.

Santa Monica Pier, stretching 1,650 feet, is a well-known landmark and draws millions of visitors annually. It is an iconic pier that was initially opened in 1909 and has been designated as a Santa Monica Historic Landmark - this pier offers a large variety of things to do including a popular amusement park named Pacific Park that has the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel, fun rides for kids (including a 1920s carousel), an arcade, an aquarium at the end of the pier named Heal The Bay Aquarium, and interesting concessions and shops. If you are planning to fish from the Santa Monica Pier or from any part of Santa Monica State Beach, please follow the local fishing regulations that can be found on the website of California Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

Santa Monica Beach is also frequented by snorkelers and scuba divers, and visitors may spot wildlife such as seals, sea lions, and migrating whales at certain times of the year. If you’re into biking or skating, the Ocean Front Walk (also called the Santa Monica Boardwalk) offers a scenic path with oceanfront views and passes by various restaurants and shops. The North Beach Trail section includes unique artwork inspired by local plant and animal life. A portion of another famous biking trail named the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (also known as The Strand) is also located along Santa Monica State Beach - this popular 22-mile oceanfront biking, jogging, and roller-skating trail mostly runs parallel to the coastline of the Santa Monica Bay.